


the heart wants what it wants

by orphan_account



Category: Game of Thrones (TV)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-06-10
Updated: 2015-06-10
Packaged: 2018-04-03 19:55:43
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 516
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4112989
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“Didn’t your mother say you weren’t to come in here anymore, princess?”</p>
            </blockquote>





	the heart wants what it wants

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Talullah](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Talullah/gifts).



> Episode nine of season five inspired me to write something with Shireen.
> 
> HOW COULD YOU STANNIS?!
> 
> *coughs* I hope you enjoy. :)

“Didn’t your mother say you weren’t to come in here anymore, princess?”

Shireen detected concern in Sam’s voice. Perhaps this was because the wall was no place for a princess and also due to her mother forbidding her from the library. She was able to stay away for a few days but no longer could obey her mother’s new rule. It was utterly boring here and a library full of so many books deserving to be read.

“Mother did but I wanted to continue GIlly’s lessons.” Shireen sat beside Gilly who was holding baby Sam tightly in her arms.

Sam smiled nervously. “Well if you won’t tell, I won’t princess.”

Gilly nodded. “We won’t either.”

Shireen didn’t understand her mother and father’s disgust with the wildlings. All men were violent but they were still people. She considered Gilly a friend even if they came from different worlds. 

It didn’t matter here in the quiet of the library where all you could hear now and then were the soft cries of a baby.

“Could I hold him?” Shireen asked during one of their lessons. Gilly’s reading was coming along very nicely-- though there still was a long way to go. 

A short break wouldn’t hurt anything.

“Yes, you can hold Sam.”

Shireen supported the small infant in her arms, making sure not to jostle him too much as she shifted him to a more comfortable position. “I’d like to be able to teach baby Sam to read as well.”

Sam looked over from the desk. “I don’t think King Stannis will be here that long, princess. He’d have marched towards King’s Landing by then.”

“I want to stay here. How will I ever manage to finish these books if I’m living in King’s Landing?” she sighed. “Father would never let me travel all the way back to the wall. He would say it wasn’t safe and nor would mother.”

Most of her life had been spent cooped up inside, unable to experience the world. If Shireen lived in King’s Landing, that would continue. A princess couldn’t travel outside alone and perhaps not at all.

The longer they stayed here Shireen might have an opportunity to explore more of the world as well as help the wildlings.

“Are all wildlings unable to read?” Shireen asked curiously.

“Some can, some can’t,” Gilly answered. “Not sure, really.”

Her eyes lit up. “I can stay and teach them to read like I’ve helped Gilly and Sir Davos.”

The excitement soon faded because Shireen knew her mother and father would never allow her to do such a thing but she felt she would be a better help if she stayed here. Looking down at baby Sam at least pushed Shireen to keep up the lessons with GIlly.

After handing Sam back to his mother, Shireen reached for a book.

“Ready?” Shireen asked Gilly. “We still have some more things to go over before we can move on to the next lesson.”

Gilly nodded while baby Sam started babbling about something. She didn’t understand what it meant but took it as a yes.


End file.
